Homebrew Caligar Species Details

Strength, Honor, and Dicipline are the cornerstones of a Caligar and they make it known through their very lifestyle. They even discipline their children harshly, however they reward them far greater. By Sardior! I was proud to fight alongside them.

— High King Bexlirous the Just

Combining the fury and strength of orcs with the discipline of hobgoblins, Caligars crush any obstacle in their path and leave nothing but shattered bones behind them. The crash of their tails against stone is frightening to even the most fearsome of warriors.

Encountering a Caligar is rare, even rarer above the surface; when encountered, one finds themselves either welcomed or crushed. In ancient times, tales tell of Caligars leveling mountains and crushing forests when attacking enemies.

They are not known to be ill-tempered or evil but rather harsh, especially unto friends. They establish empires through conquest of their enemies, which fortunately for the world, are few and use the bones of their dead to build their gates and the bones of their enemies as fertilizer.

Caligar Beliefs

The Caligars do not worship any particular god though most worship Akh, the Father. They Believe that they were made when the first earthquake happened and since then they have been splitting the earth open ever since.

They value strength much like orcs, but instead of killing their weak they bolster them and ensure they become strong through either intense training or temporary exile. Those who are exiled when (if) they come back they are usually ten times stronger than the rest and often become warlords. The warlords are trained in a style of fighting they call Caliga-kahn, giving them an even greater means of leading on the batllefield

Death to a Caligar is something often debated. Some believe death is a rest and slow fade into nonexistence, others believe (and the right belief) that death is the beginning of a new and greater life.

Caligars believe that it is a man's job to defend the clan and a woman's job to defend a home. When there are women on the battlefield it typically signifies that there are few children and sick men; signs indicating to an enemy that it will be easier (though not easy) to conquer the clan.

Life in the Clan

Caligars live a life akin to soldiers in a camp, strict regiment and order from day one. Though it is not a bleak existence for they understand that there is a balance between work and play.

Childhood

An average Caligar child is raised in their home by both parents until the age of 4 where they are trained in combat and craftsmanship. They train until the age of 18 when they are considered a "Youth"

They stay Youths until they serve at least 5 years in their army and at age 23 they are officially adults in the eyes of the clan. 

Warriors Through and Through.

Each Caligar is instilled with a desire to fight and combat others, they typically fulfill this craving through military conquest but oftentimes duel each other for fun.They typically don't need to make weapons due to their tails so those who do have weapons either earned them in combat or found them randomly.

Even those who are typically weaker are desirous of battle and soon get their chance when they grow older. For Caligars, Strength is not a goal or a desire, it is an inevitability. Those who die in battle are said to be partakers in a great new life where they find something greater than conflict.  

Strong, not Dumb

Caligars are often thought to be no different than their bloodthirsty orc lookalikes and therefore unintelligent. The Caligars have shown themselves (much to the disbelief of many) to be not only capable but encouraging of kindness, love, reason, and honor. Those who make this assumption are often humbled by their hospitality and understanding. Nonetheless they are as capable of pouring you a drink as smashing your skull.

Many Caligars use their strength to build their fortresses outside military training and though crude the strength of their keeps are comparable to that of a dwarven stronghold. 

Walls of War

The Caligar walls are tall stone slabs embedded and fortified with bones. The bones are the bones of the Caligars fallen in battle and this practice is seen as a way Caligar soldiers might defend the clan after death. This does not help their public reputation outside their race and has led to some conflicts regarding their garish display.

There has been an account of an elven army attacking a Caligar stronghold because they had thought it to be an orc stronghold. The Caligars, being Caligars did not take this unprovoked attack well and were able to repel the elven forces and earn the respect of a nearby orc tribe.  

Relations 

Caligars get on with most other races save for one: The Speleans. There are bad histories on both sides but recently due to High King Bexlirous the Just and King Drasil the Bold of Fortekelmar, the two races made peace and sent a mixed colony to the surface to live in peace.

Some wicked tribes ally with orcs and goblins as they embody the things they value: Strength, Glory, and War. The good Caligars are ashamed of this as they have been (as previously mentioned) attacked and mistaken for orcs. Caligar/Orc Hybrids do exist, and they are a fearsome opponent bearing strength typially greater than that of the parents. Such a Hybrid is called a Calig-Hai. 

Some Caligars, mostly nobility, are more than able to practice civil diplomacy and can be as refined as an elven lord (though not comfortably refined) Such Caligars help their interracial relations but at great shame. 

War

Caligars can fight wars for years upon years, generations upon generations until they find themselves too tired of it. Though they are designed for combat they are aware of the destruction they can cause not only to fortresses but also to lives. So they do not typically kill innocents, only soldiers. 

Roleplaying an Caligar

When you’re roleplaying an Caligar, the following tables contain possible inspiration. They suggest characteristics that an Caligar might possess.

Caligar Personality Traits

d6	Personality Trait
1	I never forget to sharpen my tail.
2	I welcome any chance to prove my battle skills.
3	I always appear like I am about to kill everyone around me.
4	I love a good brawl.
5	I wear the skulls of enemies to consume their power.
6	I smash my tail against the ground to intimidate enemies.

Caligar Ideals

d6	Ideal
1	Strength. Showing superior strength brings honor to my Clan. (Any)
2	Prowess. Improvement upon ones skills glorifies not only you but the entire clan. (Good)
3	Authority. I will follow whomever is best fit according to the Caligar way. (Lawful)
4	Intimidation. I can get what I want from weaklings that fear me. (Evil)
5	Glory. The goals of the tribe don’t concern me. Personal glory is what I crave. (Chaotic)
6	Discipline. I discipline others as is done by my tribe. (Lawful)

Caligar Bonds

d6	Bond
1	I will defend my tribe to the death.
2	Every serious choice I make must be decided by the laws of my tribe.
3	I carry the teeth of a great warrior. They inspire me to commit great deeds in battle.
4	To honor the dead, I wear their bones as armor
5	I will seek and destroy those who murdered my tribe.
6	I owe my survival to a non-caligar.

Caligar Flaws

d6	Flaw
1	I have a wrathful temperament and let insults hit too hard.
2	I don’t fear the warlord and have no patience for training.
3	I am slow to anger, but when I do become enraged I fight until my enemies are dead, no matter the cost.
4	I enjoy senseless murder.
5	I don’t trust anyone.
6	I don't believe in living to fight another day.

Caligar Traits

Your Caligar character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age

Caligars reach adulthood at age 25 and live typically for 80 years

Size

Caligars are usually over 6 feet tall and weigh between 250 and 300 pounds (Bone plates and muscle, not fat). Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Scaled Armor

As a Caligar, you are covered in bony plating that protects you from injury. Your base AC =10 + Dexterity Modifier + Constitution Modifier.

Club Tail

The distinguishing feature of a Caligar is their tail. Their main weapon, their pride, their honor; to lose their tail is a terrible shame and almost equivalent to death. As an action, you can use your tail to attack an opponent, the tail does 1d10 Bludgeoning Damage on a hit. The target (if hit) must make a Dexterity Saving throw = Your Strength Modifier + Your Proficiency Bonus +10.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Caligar.